Beans FAQ

Since Beans is a  pretty unique dog and a rare breed (and just because I love him!), he are some answers to common questions I get about him.

• Where'd you come up with "Beans" for a name? 

Before the hubs and I got Beans, I eagerly made a list of cutesy dog names. I came up with things like Toffee, Kona, Mocha, Java (like food and coffee, okay!), and Miche if we happened to get a girl. But all of those names went out the window one night at dinner. The hubs and I were eating at a restaurant when I was telling him all of my brilliant name ideas. He thought they were too girly or silly, so he started joking with me and said "Let's name him Blinds, or Table, or Potatoes, or Beans!" as he named everything that was currently surrounding us. And ever since he said Beans, it just stuck. On the drive down to pick him up, I asked the hubs "Are we really naming our dog Beans?" And that we did. Although it started out as just a kind of random joke, I think Beans really fits him and is cute. It's easy to say and I think it's unique. I've yet to meet another Beans so far.

• Is he supposed to be that skinny?! 

Yes. I get this all the time. Everywhere I go, people comment, "Look at that skinny dog!" and think it's quite funny. I've even been asked if I feed him! IG's are naturally slender with high rib cages. He has very thin legs, but he is very hearty and well-built. He can jump and prance around like nobody's business! Though he may look dainty and fragile, he is strong and shaped exactly as his breed is supposed to be.

• How much does he weigh? How big is he?

When we got him at 14 weeks, he weighed about 4 pounds, maybe? He was so small! Italian Greyhounds range anywhere from 6 to 15 pounds. Now (at one year) he weighs a little over 8 pounds. He is considered a toy breed, although he is a lot taller than typical toy breeds, due to those long legs! He was the runt of his litter though, so he is a little smaller than the average IG.

• How did you decide on an Italian Greyhound? 

This is something I get asked a lot. You don't usually wind up with a rare purebred dog without doing your research first. I had never owned a dog before Beans so I really knew very little about dog breeds in general. Truthfully, how I found out about IG's was because I got a dog breed app for my phone that would let you pick qualities you desire in a dog and give you possible breeds to consider. I wanted a dog that did not shed a lot or have long hair, that wasn't really drooly, that would do well in a small space, that would not bark a lot, and that could be puppy pad or litter box trained (since we are in an apartment). Italian Greyhounds fit the bill on all those qualities, so they came up in my search results. I was immediately smitten. I was so glad I found out about the breed, because prior to looking them up, I didn't even know they existed!

• Where did you get him? 

I got him from a breeder in Rhode Island, not too far from where I live. It was hard to track down a breeder where I live and even harder to actually get on a wait list for puppies. And yes, there were waiting lists for litters that weren't even born yet! Talk about rare. But in God's perfect timing, we stumbled upon Beans' breeder at just the right time. Her website can be found here.

• Did you try to rescue first/did you look into rescuing? 

Yes, I did. I absolutely support rescue and think it's a wonderful option. I definitely did my research beforehand and knew not to even step foot into a pet store or buy from crazy backyard breeders. Unfortunately, any time I heard news of an IG in a shelter, they were gone before I could even get there - especially with puppies. But since I had never owned a dog before and had my heart set on an IG, I opted for going with a breeder. I don't regret it at all, as Beans is an amazing dog, but I would definitely consider  rescue in the future.

• Did you crate train him? 

Yes, I did. The first three nights of crate training was probably the most miserable nights of both our lives! But - it was so worth it. He loves his crate now and (usually) sleeps in it every night. Although he is crate trained, I typically don't crate him while I am gone because he does well loose in the house too. I really only use his crate for night time. 

If you have any questions that weren't answered on here, please feel free to ask and I will most certainly provide an answer!